Latest / Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals / The Business Systems Every Entrepreneur Is Missing - Ep. 189 w/ Saisha Ishag-Osman

Transcript

The Business Systems Every Entrepreneur Is Missing - Ep. 189 w/ Saisha Ishag-Osman · Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals

0:00
[SPEAKER_02]: I see so many business owners walk away from their businesses and it's not because they're not talented.
0:06
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not because they just can't operate their business.
0:09
[SPEAKER_02]: It is truly because they don't have the proper systems and processes in place to protect them.
0:16
[SPEAKER_02]: My goal any time I'm working with clients is to streamline those day-to-day operations for that business owners so that they can lead their teams with ease.
0:27
[SPEAKER_02]: while ensuring that they also provide a high quality, seamless experience for both their internal teams and their clients.
0:58
[SPEAKER_00]: work in professionals, creators, entrepreneurs, I need you out of tap the enter.
1:01
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1:11
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1:17
[SPEAKER_00]: while you're in the building.
1:18
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1:22
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1:28
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1:31
[SPEAKER_00]: Don't waste any more time head over to bamboocoar.com and take care of that.
1:35
[SPEAKER_00]: Use that promo code.
1:36
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll be seeing you at a bamboo location sometime soon.
1:40
[SPEAKER_00]: Now let's go ahead and get back into the episode.
1:42
[SPEAKER_00]: What up, Bill Black Friday's family.
1:43
[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to another installment of Black Friday's podcast.
1:46
[SPEAKER_00]: Before again, to today's episode on YouTube, that like button, subscribe, drop a comment, and make sure you send the video to family friends and loved ones so that we keep this thing going.
1:54
[SPEAKER_00]: Now that we got that business out of the way, got a very special guest in the building today.
1:58
[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody that is going to help you get your business in order, I got a message of SEI management today.
2:05
[SPEAKER_00]: How are you?
2:07
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm doing pretty well.
2:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for pulling up on us on Black Friday's podcast.
2:11
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, yes.
2:11
[SPEAKER_02]: And thank you for having me.
2:12
[SPEAKER_02]: What up, no, do you try it?
2:14
[SPEAKER_02]: What up, though?
2:16
[SPEAKER_00]: And that is from, what do you call yourselves in the neighborhood in Arborite?
2:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh my gosh, that's a great question.
2:20
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't, we actually know.
2:21
[SPEAKER_00]: I never heard nobody use that term.
2:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, well, I was up there.
2:24
[SPEAKER_02]: We actually don't have a term.
2:25
[SPEAKER_02]: I think the only thing, so there's Ann Arbor or some people may say, like, ace dudes.
2:30
[SPEAKER_02]: A stews, yeah.
2:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's it.
2:31
[SPEAKER_00]: We don't have, like, no, and, yeah.
2:38
[SPEAKER_00]: For sure, and so I definitely get into your in-arborate origin in a little bit, but we'll love to be able to talk to you first and get a firm understanding when it comes to you being a specialist in business operations systems management.
2:53
[SPEAKER_00]: Could you explain to us what does that mean when you talk about somebody's business, especially small business owners, what does operations mean?
3:00
[SPEAKER_00]: What does that look like?
3:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Because some people just doing business.
3:02
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's a great question.
3:05
[SPEAKER_02]: When it comes to your operations, there's so much that entails.
3:10
[SPEAKER_02]: That can be team management, you have your systems, you have your operations.
3:14
[SPEAKER_02]: So when we say operations, there's so much that comes with that term.
3:19
[SPEAKER_02]: It's like an umbrella term where it can focus on the team.
3:23
[SPEAKER_02]: It can focus on the client experience, so when I talk about how I am a operations and system strategies, this is where I really work with founders of service-based businesses specifically to help them build the systems and operational structure that they need to grow.
3:41
[SPEAKER_02]: with help becoming the bottleneck because a lot of times when it comes to your operations, we're looking at, let's say, for example, the way people may respond to potential clients, to their current clients, how they're leading their team, all of that affects the overall experience.
3:57
[SPEAKER_02]: that you provide to your clients.
3:59
[SPEAKER_02]: So as we focus on operations, the number one goal is to really ensure that you are putting proper systems and processes in place within your operations to support.
4:14
[SPEAKER_02]: experience.
4:16
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, as we're talking about the operations, my goal anytime I'm working with clients is to streamline those day-to-day operations for that business owners so that they can lead their teams with ease.
4:31
[SPEAKER_02]: While ensuring that they also provide a high-quality
4:42
[SPEAKER_02]: that's your operations overall.
4:44
[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
4:45
[SPEAKER_00]: And how did you end up going down this path because as we were talking off camera, you had aspirations to be a broadcast journalist on at a certain point of time and then you know you made that heart pivot.
4:56
[SPEAKER_00]: So how did we go from
4:58
[SPEAKER_00]: broadcast journalism being a friend of the camera to be in behind the scenes and helping people with their operations.
5:03
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, that is a great question.
5:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, how much time do we have?
5:07
[SPEAKER_02]: It is definitely, it's been a journey.
5:10
[SPEAKER_02]: So one as, as I had shared with you, I pursued broadcast journalism in undergrad.
5:15
[SPEAKER_02]: And I loved it.
5:16
[SPEAKER_02]: I did.
5:17
[SPEAKER_02]: It was like I was just eating, sleeping, and breathing, journalism.
5:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Everyone who is essentially going to be a journalist.
5:22
[SPEAKER_02]: My dad used to go around telling our family, oh, she's going to fly all over the world, you know.
5:27
[SPEAKER_02]: And conductor interviews, I loved it so much.
5:31
[SPEAKER_02]: But as I was wrapping up my last year of undergrad right before I studied abroad, I did in a paid internship that really showed me what that experience was
5:44
[SPEAKER_02]: And I honestly thought to myself was like, okay, as I was in Spain, I thought, don't do that forever and how much am I getting paid, you know, so make a long story short when I came back, I really started to dive more into the back end of things and less into just broadcast journalism and I went into PR.
6:03
[SPEAKER_02]: PR started to slowly move over to client care experience, where I helped a local business owner when I came back home, lead their PR team, and other client experience.
6:15
[SPEAKER_02]: So now we're slowly migrating into, yes, of course, leadership, but also that client care experience.
6:22
[SPEAKER_02]: And then I moved into corporate, once I left there.
6:27
[SPEAKER_02]: And when I went into corporate,
6:33
[SPEAKER_02]: the overall experience again.
6:35
[SPEAKER_02]: So it was less about just PR.
6:37
[SPEAKER_02]: So I had really, I was even doing not that I think about it.
6:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I was doing work even within corporate sidewalk for quick amounts, okay, which is not a rocket mortgage.
6:47
[SPEAKER_02]: And I did some work with them training videos.
6:50
[SPEAKER_02]: So I did work that was similar to PR, but I was with the closing team.
6:54
[SPEAKER_02]: So now, you know, I am really
7:02
[SPEAKER_02]: But at the same time, this is where, once again, I'm coming back to that client care experience, because anyone that's ever been a part of the Rack and Mortgage team, you know that that is the North Star.
7:13
[SPEAKER_02]: How can we serve our clients?
7:15
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I took that experience and to fast forward, because I was with them for almost 10 years.
7:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
7:24
[SPEAKER_02]: And it was my last two years of being with Rocket Mortgage, and I loved, I loved working for Rocket Mortgage.
7:31
[SPEAKER_02]: I really did like the culture, everything was just amazing.
7:35
[SPEAKER_02]: I learned so much while I was working there.
7:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I still type with me to this day, especially when leading teams there.
7:42
[SPEAKER_02]: I really take a lot of that with me to today.
7:45
[SPEAKER_02]: But my last two years of working with them,
7:51
[SPEAKER_02]: and Denzel as you know, he's been in grad school.
7:54
[SPEAKER_02]: While you're working and pursuing grad school, when you're not doing one of the other full-time, while working full-time part-time for school, it was just taking a little bit longer than I had originally anticipated.
8:08
[SPEAKER_02]: So I asked my counselor, I was like, how long are we talking?
8:11
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, how much longer do I have to go?
8:13
[SPEAKER_02]: And she had mentioned, oh, yeah, just another two years.
8:17
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't have that time because now fast forward to that time that's when my husband and I we wanted to start a family and I just thought okay, what can I do and my husband he had just wrapped up his PhD program
8:33
[SPEAKER_02]: and he had been pursuing school full-time.
8:37
[SPEAKER_02]: So he said, hey, you know what?
8:39
[SPEAKER_02]: This is your chance.
8:40
[SPEAKER_02]: You can go ahead and pursue your MBA full-time.
8:44
[SPEAKER_02]: So I can know what?
8:45
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to get that some thought as I did.
8:47
[SPEAKER_02]: And I did that.
8:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Excuse me, and...
8:52
[SPEAKER_02]: As I was pursuing that, an opportunity came our way where my husband and I we started working with a Detroit land bank authority.
8:59
[SPEAKER_02]: So I had left corporate to finish a grad school.
9:03
[SPEAKER_02]: And then we started working as project managers.
9:06
[SPEAKER_02]: That was the very first time.
9:09
[SPEAKER_02]: Someone that's coming from corporate.
9:12
[SPEAKER_02]: I had that corporate mindset.
9:13
[SPEAKER_02]: Very systemized.
9:15
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm working with service providers.
9:19
[SPEAKER_02]: And they were so talented.
9:21
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, so talented.
9:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So gifted, but I can tell a lot of them were operating with a broken leg.
9:28
[SPEAKER_02]: Their operations just weren't in place.
9:30
[SPEAKER_02]: And a lot of them were transparent with me.
9:32
[SPEAKER_02]: They would say how they are missing emails, missing deadlines,
9:37
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's stuck with me, those conversations that I had with them and just that overall experience.
9:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So fast word again, I'm wrapping up with grad school finishing the project that we that we have with the Detroit land make authority.
9:52
[SPEAKER_02]: And our daughter is coming in today.
9:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, so I'm pregnant with her as well.
9:57
[SPEAKER_02]: And as I was graduating in May of 2022, she came in June 2022, and now looking at that time.
10:06
[SPEAKER_00]: Talk about a graduation gift.
10:07
[SPEAKER_00]: I know.
10:08
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, now looking back and I'm like, why don't I cross the wall?
10:12
[SPEAKER_02]: And you know, we just knew she was going to come any day and so she came and I thought to myself, now I'm done with school, we wrapped up this project, our daughter is here, what do I want to do?
10:26
[SPEAKER_02]: And so as you have mentioned, yes, there's that experience with broadcast journalism, there's that corporate experience, the leadership experience,
10:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought, do I want to go back to corporate?
10:35
[SPEAKER_02]: You are looking at someone that always thought, you know, just being like VP, you know, there's not too many people that look like us in leadership.
10:44
[SPEAKER_02]: So I know that was needed, especially in the corporate space.
10:47
[SPEAKER_02]: And I was always my aspiration, once I even got like a taste of the corporate world.
10:52
[SPEAKER_02]: But things look different when you become a parent, and I thought, okay, how do I want to do this?
10:59
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, I want to be present for our family, but I also want to continue.
11:03
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I'm fresh out of grad school.
11:05
[SPEAKER_02]: I want to take all this experience and continue to implement it somewhere.
11:09
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I did some research and during that time, that's where I learned more about what I could do with my leadership experience.
11:17
[SPEAKER_02]: and I started learning about how I can support small businesses and I came across one-line business manager.
11:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I was, oh gosh, this has my name written all over it.
11:28
[SPEAKER_02]: And I found an accreditation program.
11:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Now, I know you mentioned you love learning.
11:33
[SPEAKER_02]: This is someone that loves learning as well.
11:35
[SPEAKER_02]: fresh out of grad school.
11:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I said, yeah, okay, let's go ahead and start this condition.
11:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you know, so as a six month program that I went through, uh, there were systems management, team management, operations management, launch management, like everything you needed to know as you had asked earlier, what does operations consist of?
11:56
[SPEAKER_02]: We were learning it all in this program.
11:59
[SPEAKER_02]: And so yes, I was taking that corporate experience that experience in the
12:04
[SPEAKER_02]: But now through this accreditation program, I was able to say this is what I can specifically do in this online space for businesses, which is what a lot of businesses they need on that the virtual site.
12:22
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, so that's what I started to do and I've been blessed with to work with some amazing business owners, but that's the journey.
12:31
[SPEAKER_02]: That's how I ended up becoming an online business manager.
12:33
[SPEAKER_02]: So it's, I tell everyone, you know, it's like I went from grad school and then went directly to their accreditation program and by January of 2023, I was ready to launch the business.
12:45
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
12:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Here we are.
12:46
[SPEAKER_00]: And here we are.
12:48
[SPEAKER_00]: And with, so three years in with S.E.I.
12:50
[SPEAKER_00]: Management, could you tell us what services you provide and then what, how are you able to service your customers?
12:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's a great question.
12:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So one of the first services that I provide is a strategy session.
13:03
[SPEAKER_02]: And with a strategy session, this consists of a 90-minute session that I have with clients.
13:08
[SPEAKER_02]: And I go and prior to that session, doing a complete deep dive of their business, so there's even a session planner that I send to them, prior to that 90-minute session that we have with one another, and really understand their current workflows, their current operations, with systems, do they have in place?
13:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Are there workflows that are set in place?
13:27
[SPEAKER_02]: Do they have tools?
13:29
[SPEAKER_02]: As they're a CRM president?
13:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Is there a project management tool?
13:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going through the leaves of it all.
13:35
[SPEAKER_02]: and really understanding the current state of their business and where those areas of opportunity are when it comes to their operations.
13:42
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's that strategy session where we have the opportunity to do that deep dive.
13:48
[SPEAKER_02]: The next step would be implementation.
13:50
[SPEAKER_02]: That's the next surface that I provide.
13:52
[SPEAKER_02]: So we do all that work and then implementation is where I take
13:57
[SPEAKER_02]: that action plan that was composed based on your 90-minute strategy session, now we implement everything for it.
14:05
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what I love to.
14:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I really, that that's where you see the transformation for businesses.
14:11
[SPEAKER_02]: You really do.
14:13
[SPEAKER_02]: Of course, I've worked with some clients.
14:14
[SPEAKER_02]: It's very rare.
14:15
[SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, I can't even name two clients that did just a strategy session.
14:21
[SPEAKER_02]: They went,
14:22
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm done.
14:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, majority of my clients, they have said, we've done that strategy session, let's move into implementation just because once we do that deep dive, they really start to understand what that's going to entail to set all the systems and the processes in place and they want an experts to really guide them along that journey in a way.
14:45
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what I do for that second phase and then if they want to move into the third phase, that is on
14:52
[SPEAKER_02]: So as I had mentioned before being an online business manager when coming back from maternity leave, and as I was connecting with you, when we saw one another at Bamboo, maybe like, got earlier this year.
15:06
[SPEAKER_02]: But that's where I was moving from that online business manager into that specific systems and operations strategies, because I want the opportunity to connect with even more businesses.
15:18
[SPEAKER_02]: For a long time, I have worked primarily as an online business manager.
15:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So as you can imagine, I have clients on retainer.
15:26
[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm working with a small number of business owners, making great impact.
15:31
[SPEAKER_02]: But there's not a lot of businesses that I'm working with because I'm working with clients on retainer for a stretched period of time.
15:38
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's been wonderful, but while I was on maternity leave, I thought, you know what?
15:43
[SPEAKER_02]: What can I do to connect with even more business owners, and that's where I really started to shift more and to being that systems and operations strategies to them there as well.
15:57
[SPEAKER_00]: So of course I got more questions for you, but now we're going to move into my favorite part of Black Friday is which is freestyle Fridays.
16:10
[SPEAKER_00]: So whenever you ready, you can start rapping.
16:11
[SPEAKER_02]: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
16:34
[SPEAKER_02]: But I was just like, no, it's still kind of like, no, that's not my thing.
16:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
16:40
[SPEAKER_00]: Good.
16:42
[SPEAKER_00]: Being an an arbor native, what's something that you like or appreciate about city of Detroit?
16:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh my gosh.
16:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh the people.
16:48
[SPEAKER_02]: The people, the energy, my husband and I, so we lived in Detroit while I was working for Rocky Mortgage and also a little bit while I was in grad school because during that time we actually moved shortly after COVID.
17:02
[SPEAKER_02]: It was like,
17:03
[SPEAKER_02]: We need more space.
17:05
[SPEAKER_02]: But we lived down town.
17:06
[SPEAKER_02]: We lived at Riverfront.
17:08
[SPEAKER_02]: And we loved it.
17:10
[SPEAKER_02]: We have so much fun.
17:12
[SPEAKER_02]: And it was, I want to say, like, four or five years that we lived down here.
17:16
[SPEAKER_02]: But I share on this because him and I now be into that space where we are fully parents of a four-year-old and a nine-month-old.
17:23
[SPEAKER_02]: We're like, man, now those days of us being in Detroit, we're so much fun.
17:28
[SPEAKER_02]: So just to this day, we take all that energy.
17:31
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just
17:32
[SPEAKER_02]: Any time you step in the city of Detroit, my husband, he works here in the city, so him and I were back often, you know, for events that are here in the city, business events, just, you know, to have fun, but really the energy that people is just everything, like we love Detroit, love it, love it, love it, have family.
17:50
[SPEAKER_02]: That's here as well, so we're always here.
17:53
[SPEAKER_02]: We go back and forth about the time.
17:54
[SPEAKER_00]: No.
17:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Good.
17:56
[SPEAKER_00]: What to listen to right now, anything you got in rotation?
17:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Ooh, that is a great question.
18:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Hmm.
18:04
[SPEAKER_02]: in rotation.
18:05
[SPEAKER_02]: No, I actually don't have anything in rotation.
18:07
[SPEAKER_02]: You're going to laugh at me.
18:08
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know what?
18:10
[SPEAKER_02]: If you want to know what was in rotation as I was on my way here, because I was driving with our two little ones, and I'm meeting my husband so we can literally just swap cars.
18:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Our little guy, he likes the wheels on the bus.
18:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So, we really need to
18:29
[SPEAKER_00]: You could have wrapped it.
18:31
[SPEAKER_00]: It's on the bus go round and round.
18:34
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, it's good.
18:36
[SPEAKER_02]: It's good.
18:37
[SPEAKER_02]: It's good, it's good.
18:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I love it.
18:42
[SPEAKER_02]: Also, I love it.
18:44
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's my rotation.
18:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
18:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Who else on the bus?
18:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Yep.
18:47
[SPEAKER_02]: We're on the bus.
18:48
[SPEAKER_02]: What about you?
18:49
[SPEAKER_02]: You have something in a rotation.
18:51
[SPEAKER_00]: uh so I went down this rabbit hole last night listening to um so I went me in the wife we went out to a uh Went out to Junting celebration party and somebody in their mix they played so ambitious by jazzy from blueprint three and it just took me back to that era so like I've been listening to I'll listen to that album I listened to the black album which is like my favorite jazzy album.
19:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, no, that's my favorite.
19:16
[SPEAKER_02]: I
19:16
[SPEAKER_00]: Come on.
19:16
[SPEAKER_00]: Come on now.
19:17
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
19:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, my.
19:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, that's right.
19:19
[SPEAKER_00]: So it took me.
19:20
[SPEAKER_00]: I went down that rabbit hole.
19:21
[SPEAKER_00]: So that's that's why I'm at right now currently.
19:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
19:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
19:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so you probably really appreciate it.
19:27
[SPEAKER_02]: The performance that he recently had I see it.
19:30
[SPEAKER_00]: No, I see it.
19:31
[SPEAKER_00]: So it was at the roofping and right.
19:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I think so.
19:34
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I went there.
19:35
[SPEAKER_02]: So no, but you saw it online.
19:37
[SPEAKER_00]: I saw some some some pieces of it.
19:39
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but that was for more like his albums prior to me finding out about like Jay.
19:44
[SPEAKER_00]: I caught Jay Z late like I caught Jay Z the black out with my introduction to Jay.
19:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Me too.
19:49
[SPEAKER_02]: You know what?
19:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe it's just like where we were at in our lives like that age.
19:53
[SPEAKER_02]: And honestly it was my dad.
19:55
[SPEAKER_02]: It was my stepdad.
19:57
[SPEAKER_02]: So he's a huge Jay Z fan.
19:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's who put me on the black album.
20:01
[SPEAKER_02]: And so this day like I love the back.
20:05
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'm just thinking in the first time.
20:07
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not gonna do that.
20:13
[SPEAKER_00]: For sure.
20:14
[SPEAKER_00]: And do you, so are you a, a Coney fan at all?
20:17
[SPEAKER_00]: Coney counselor?
20:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I do love Coney.
20:19
[SPEAKER_02]: We actually used to have a Coney Island in, so of course there's nothing that beats Coney here in Detroit.
20:25
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
20:26
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, and our very- It's a couple.
20:28
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a few, yeah, here and there.
20:29
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, you know, way back when I had our ever had, like, everything and Briarwood Mall, they're used to being Coney in there.
20:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
20:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I always wanted to go to Coney any time we went to the mall.
20:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Now I'll always get chili fries.
20:43
[SPEAKER_02]: I love chili fries.
20:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So, yeah.
20:46
[SPEAKER_00]: That's a, that's a county order is tilling for us.
20:48
[SPEAKER_02]: That's it.
20:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, and I'm saying a lot with this, but back in our time, prior to us having kids, you know, we have those late nights, Bob, and hang it to a kind of morning, Coney fries are the best.
20:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
21:03
[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
21:04
[SPEAKER_00]: It gets you back right.
21:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
21:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
21:06
[SPEAKER_00]: Or a county breakfast to get you.
21:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
21:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
21:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
21:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
21:09
[SPEAKER_00]: You're riding it.
21:10
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
21:10
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
21:11
[SPEAKER_00]: Get you all the way back together.
21:12
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
21:13
[SPEAKER_00]: And so for a Detroiter,
21:15
[SPEAKER_00]: wanted to learn about Ann Arbor, was something about Ann Arbor that you explained to a detrator.
21:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh my gosh, it's a great question.
21:21
[SPEAKER_02]: So one, my little girl recently said something we were on a drive.
21:25
[SPEAKER_02]: And she was like, Mom, it's so green, like all the trees.
21:29
[SPEAKER_02]: And I thought,
21:31
[SPEAKER_02]: It is really green, hence Ann Arbor.
21:33
[SPEAKER_02]: So really enjoy the nature in Ann Arbor.
21:36
[SPEAKER_02]: Ann Arbor has beautiful parks, beautiful trails from my runners out there.
21:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, take if you haven't been to Ann Arbor to run and you love running, hit some trails.
21:47
[SPEAKER_02]: The arb is beautiful, the park right off Barton Drive.
21:51
[SPEAKER_02]: I believe it is literally Barton Park.
21:53
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not mistaken.
21:55
[SPEAKER_02]: It's beautiful.
21:56
[SPEAKER_02]: There's just so many great parts.
21:58
[SPEAKER_02]: And of course, you know, you have your events that come downtown.
22:01
[SPEAKER_02]: But we love just even like top of the park and arbor.
22:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
22:05
[SPEAKER_02]: We're making it like a father's day tradition every year to go to top of the park.
22:09
[SPEAKER_02]: and they have like a ban that comes out.
22:12
[SPEAKER_02]: They have activities for the kids, but just this time of year is one of the best times and our best spring and summer, because you've experienced everything blue.
22:21
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, you can see you of them.
22:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
22:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
22:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, it's beautiful.
22:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, what did you love?
22:27
[SPEAKER_02]: Did you have the chance to hit nature sometimes?
22:29
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm not nature guy, but yeah.
22:33
[SPEAKER_00]: been down to the arbor few times.
22:35
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's pray that the most involved with nature I get but always loved summertime and then arbor because I would be taking spring and summer classes and it's nobody on campus pretty much in super chill and you get a chance to just be able to
22:50
[SPEAKER_00]: walking through the arbor like sitting in the arbor in the book is not super hot because you know how it is in Michigan and like that's that's what I miss and they like the random summer like when when I got older and we got our own apartments we would like throw like random barbecues it'd just be a Wednesday we like we'd like to go to have a barbecue that's a part of it yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
23:08
[SPEAKER_02]: That was something on the grill, you know?
23:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Yep, yep, that's my two sisters.
23:13
[SPEAKER_02]: So I have one sister that's that you have them now.
23:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Shout out to my little sister, Bryce.
23:18
[SPEAKER_02]: And then my other sister is the my, she's joining her at you of them as well.
23:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So shout out to the two of them.
23:24
[SPEAKER_02]: They are doing awesome, they're thriving.
23:27
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm so happy for them.
23:29
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, but they're going to be some you have him alumni love it love it is rooting for the other team We are house divided, but that is okay.
23:38
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, we ain't we not gonna speak on that.
23:41
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah So thank you for partaking and freestyle Friday.
23:46
[SPEAKER_00]: It's did a great job.
23:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Thanks to you help
23:48
[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
23:49
[SPEAKER_00]: And so I just wanted to be able to continue to understand the business journey for you.
23:54
[SPEAKER_00]: So as you mentioned, you were doing online business management and then decide to transition more so into the operations piece.
24:01
[SPEAKER_00]: Throughout this time frame, with you being able to work for yourself, working with clients, what has that process been to be able to dive into entrepreneurship, especially coming from, like you said, you're a corporate in one row, specifically
24:15
[SPEAKER_00]: And then being able to have that corporate back end, but then to step out of your program and say, you know what, let me double down on what I feel like I can do.
24:24
[SPEAKER_00]: My skills, my abilities and go do it on my own.
24:26
[SPEAKER_00]: What is that bit, then like?
24:28
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, it has definitely been a journey.
24:30
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, I thought about this as I was coming back from attorney relief because having a little one who's now nine months I stopped and I thought, I'm looking at our daughter and she just turned four.
24:43
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's like, wow, I've had this business for three years at the beginning of this year.
24:49
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's like, there were two babies happening at the same time.
24:53
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, there was ALA and then there was this business.
24:58
[SPEAKER_02]: It took that time, I had to take that time to even step back and say, what do I need to be successful in this business?
25:08
[SPEAKER_02]: And when I say that, I had to stop and think outside of just the business itself.
25:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Uh, so for example, anyone that has little ones knows that, you know, prior to them hitting like that six month age, they're not really that mobile.
25:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Uh, so when I started the business around that time, it was just like, okay, you know, you're doing everything, she could just kind of hang out being one spot, she got mobile.
25:32
[SPEAKER_02]: And then my mom, she came in and you know, was amazing with our daughter and she was there to support and then I realized the business is growing in this little girl.
25:43
[SPEAKER_02]: She's getting more mobile.
25:44
[SPEAKER_02]: She's getting busy.
25:45
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to need some more support.
25:46
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I immediately thought what can we do to bring in some more support.
25:51
[SPEAKER_02]: So.
25:52
[SPEAKER_02]: But really started thinking of what support do I need at home, because that I sat down, okay, this is me getting into the nerd operation side of it, but I literally had to sit down and do like a task audit and it's something that I do with a lot of my clients when I first start with them, like looking at what do you do within the business?
26:11
[SPEAKER_02]: So I had that list and then I realized, okay, I'm doing a lot for the business.
26:15
[SPEAKER_02]: But I'm doing even more for home as well.
26:17
[SPEAKER_02]: And so that is actually one of the first places where I got some support was at home.
26:21
[SPEAKER_02]: And my husband hands down, he's amazing, amazing, amazing.
26:25
[SPEAKER_02]: My husband, as my, I love you so much.
26:28
[SPEAKER_02]: He's such an awesome dad, such an awesome husband.
26:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I just knew in order for this business to thrive, I was gonna also need some support at home.
26:36
[SPEAKER_02]: So that was one of the first steps.
26:38
[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, I had all the support that I needed there, and that really helped me to grow the business.
26:44
[SPEAKER_02]: And then once we got pregnant with our son, I really had to stop and think as we talk about the evolution of the business.
26:51
[SPEAKER_02]: What is this going to look like when I step away?
26:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Because I had the business as something I was returning from maternity leave with with our daughter.
27:01
[SPEAKER_02]: and it was fresh.
27:02
[SPEAKER_02]: It was new, you know, but now I'm going on maternity leave and I'm thinking, what is this going to look like?
27:10
[SPEAKER_02]: So I really had to do some research.
27:12
[SPEAKER_02]: I had to conduct a lot of wonderful interviews with amazing people.
27:18
[SPEAKER_02]: So thank you, it's going to come in and support my clients on retainer.
27:21
[SPEAKER_02]: So I did a lot of that work there in cash.
27:25
[SPEAKER_02]: I am so grateful for them as they came and supported my clients on retainer.
27:29
[SPEAKER_02]: And as I was coming back to the business, as I share with a lot of people because I put stuff on hold, I put things on hold.
27:37
[SPEAKER_02]: The people that I had
27:43
[SPEAKER_02]: I put them on pause as well just because I really wanted to be present as a mom and I just I think as a mom, per newer, balancing the two can get challenging and returning from this maternity leave was actually even more challenging than I had originally anticipated because our daughter, she's now four.
28:06
[SPEAKER_02]: So at the time she was three and a three year old becomes a little
28:12
[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, of course, they're not that independent, but they're good enough, you know, and they start to really get into like this routine.
28:20
[SPEAKER_02]: So it was like she was going to bed, husband and I, we have our time, you know, chill in the evening and then we also would have that time if I needed it to work a little bit later sometimes.
28:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Now there's a different, you know, we have this little boy that's here who's amazing our little mallik and I had to stop and think what is going to shift, you know, I'm going to have to change some things because the way I was working before can't work like that anymore.
28:47
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I found myself even sitting back and doing what I do with my clients, going back to the drawing board and saying, okay, what do we mean in order for this to work at this time in my life, where I can still provide the excellent client experience for my clients so that, you know, people that are supporting me internally, I can provide a seamless and high quality experience for them as well.
29:09
[SPEAKER_02]: So I really have to sit back and reshape some things.
29:14
[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm grateful that I did take that time to do that because that has helped me to really modify my workflows and then also...
29:24
[SPEAKER_02]: take that time being very intentional about where my time goes now with family.
29:30
[SPEAKER_02]: That's always been at the forefront, always.
29:33
[SPEAKER_02]: As I have shared with you before I didn't intend on ever becoming an entrepreneur, but I'm so grateful for this space because it gives me the opportunity to do that.
29:43
[SPEAKER_02]: But to do that, it means at one point I thought, oh, you know, maybe I'll just do this full-time
29:48
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, doing the two, it just having now these beautiful two children, it was taking a little bit more than usual.
29:57
[SPEAKER_02]: So now I can say confidently we got the systems downpack.
30:01
[SPEAKER_02]: You got the work flows in place.
30:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm good to go.
30:04
[SPEAKER_02]: But it took some time, you know, and I'm grateful that that has happened because that has actually given me honestly the confidence even more to share that journey with other business owners to say, hey, you know, I fell when I was coming back from maternity leave.
30:21
[SPEAKER_02]: I was quickly getting caught in the leads of my own business.
30:24
[SPEAKER_02]: And I said, you know what, okay, right I have to reset some things.
30:27
[SPEAKER_02]: Let me go ahead, reassess my business and really identify what I need at this time, because there was something in me that I just thought, okay.
30:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't, maybe I will step back.
30:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe it's not that time.
30:42
[SPEAKER_02]: But this is something that I just know, it's needed.
30:46
[SPEAKER_02]: It is needed every single client that I work with.
30:49
[SPEAKER_02]: They talk about the transformation that just happens within their business.
30:53
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's something that I'm so passionate about.
30:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I see so many business owners walk away from their businesses.
30:59
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's not because they're not talented.
31:01
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not because they just can't operate their business.
31:05
[SPEAKER_02]: It is truly,
31:06
[SPEAKER_02]: because they don't have the proper systems and processes in place to protect them, to protect them.
31:13
[SPEAKER_02]: And so even when people say, oh, you know, setting up systems and, you know, automations, I don't want my business to fail robotic.
31:22
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not going to be robotic.
31:23
[SPEAKER_02]: If anything, it is protecting that experience that you want people to have when working with you, it actually gives you the opportunity to tap into your zone of genius.
31:34
[SPEAKER_02]: When you have that space, to be creative, to be intentional about where your energy goes because you have these systems.
31:42
[SPEAKER_02]: these processes, the workflows, the automations, protecting you, that's where you can grow.
31:49
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
31:50
[SPEAKER_00]: And speaking of which, let's get real about business operations, especially keeping entrepreneurs in mind.
31:57
[SPEAKER_00]: And let's think about these solarpreneurs, because I think based on some of the census research majority of black owned businesses are like single person, yes, solar, entrepreneurship.
32:10
[SPEAKER_00]: What are a lot of the things that we are getting wrong in terms of our operations that you are seeing on the consistent basis through your research through your actual experience and working with business owners, what are some of those recurrent things that's just like, you get this right, you actually be okay.
32:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, take a pause.
32:27
[SPEAKER_02]: So let me say this.
32:29
[SPEAKER_02]: Take a pause and understand the value of investing in your operations.
32:35
[SPEAKER_02]: I say that because I see it time and time again.
32:39
[SPEAKER_02]: People even tell me that these exact words when I first started.
32:42
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, you could do that too.
32:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, go ahead, you do it.
32:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you just do all they asked for that.
32:46
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you go ahead, you do it.
32:48
[SPEAKER_02]: And it was like, no, you are, when you started your business, you started your business because you had one specific zone of genius.
32:57
[SPEAKER_02]: You're great at marketing.
32:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not.
32:59
[SPEAKER_02]: So when people are like, oh, yeah, you could do your own marketing, you know, and all the tools that are available to us now, you hear a lot of people saying, oh, I can learn how to do that.
33:06
[SPEAKER_02]: Why can learn how to do this?
33:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I can know no stop doing everything.
33:11
[SPEAKER_00]: It's trying to save a couple dollars.
33:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I think that's it.
33:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Invest in your business is your future is your time back, and it really how I cannot say it enough.
33:23
[SPEAKER_02]: I know I talk about protecting the experience, but protecting the experience is everything.
33:28
[SPEAKER_02]: So when I see solarpreneurs, people, I've worked with them, Denzel.
33:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I've worked with people that have operated their business for over 10 years.
33:36
[SPEAKER_02]: by themselves as solarpreneurs and they're as successful to everyone else their business is blooming.
33:43
[SPEAKER_02]: It is shining.
33:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, there's so successful, but their internal operations are struggling.
33:48
[SPEAKER_02]: So my best advice is to invest, invest in your operations because what it does is it's such
34:01
[SPEAKER_02]: exceptional, seamless, high quality experience for your clients and for you to build a team.
34:11
[SPEAKER_02]: That is the goal.
34:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't understand there are some industries.
34:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Very slim to none, where it is okay to continue to operate as a solopreneur, but when you're really looking at your business as a CEO, as a founder, which I know you talk about very often, you have a lot of people that have come here on the podcast and I've touched on this.
34:32
[SPEAKER_02]: you want to have that support, we talk about the village that you need with your family.
34:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I just explained to you, I have a whole village at home.
34:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I've been invested in adding people to that village.
34:43
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, I'm that counting on just family to come and help support.
34:47
[SPEAKER_02]: No, now we put in a little bit more money up front.
34:50
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, so we have that additional support in the same thing goes for your business.
34:56
[SPEAKER_02]: You want that support.
34:57
[SPEAKER_02]: And in order to have that support, that's where you need to ensure your systems, that your operations, that infrastructure is set in place.
35:10
[SPEAKER_02]: I see it often.
35:11
[SPEAKER_02]: I do.
35:11
[SPEAKER_02]: I see it very often and I just have to say this too, because AI has been around for some time.
35:19
[SPEAKER_02]: It's still new to a lot of people, but it's been around for a long time.
35:23
[SPEAKER_02]: And a lot of people because of the amount of AI tools that everyone just has access to now, you know, you do free.
35:31
[SPEAKER_00]: It's been consumerized recently, but like you said, it's been around for a long time.
35:35
[SPEAKER_02]: A long time.
35:36
[SPEAKER_02]: And now people are really moving into this space.
35:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, I can do it.
35:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I use AI to build it.
35:41
[SPEAKER_02]: That's what.
35:43
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what we get all these damn chat GPT flyers.
35:46
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm sick of it.
35:48
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's because everyone, you know, they're starting to, I don't want to say everyone, but we see a great majority of solarpreneurs where they are just turning their wheels and turning their wheels using AI.
35:59
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, it's even helped them.
36:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, with marketing and I understand when you have a budget, which you just gotta do.
36:04
[SPEAKER_02]: I get it.
36:05
[SPEAKER_02]: But, you know, for anyone that's listening, if you are even like, you know, where do I start?
36:10
[SPEAKER_02]: You can start with something as simple as saying, what do I do in my business?
36:15
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
36:16
[SPEAKER_02]: What do I do in my business?
36:17
[SPEAKER_02]: There is a task audit.
36:19
[SPEAKER_02]: I would be happy to even share with you to share with listeners.
36:23
[SPEAKER_02]: But when you do that, it really helps you to even visually understand where's my time and my energy going.
36:29
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, it's breaking down how often do you do that task monthly, weekly, daily basis?
36:35
[SPEAKER_02]: And there's so many other categories that go into this audit.
36:40
[SPEAKER_02]: But one of the very last things that I ask is, how much do you enjoy it?
36:46
[SPEAKER_02]: How much do you actually enjoy it?
36:48
[SPEAKER_02]: And a lot of people are operating in admin tasks that they can't stand.
36:53
[SPEAKER_02]: They can't stand it.
36:54
[SPEAKER_02]: I've seen literally clients go zero.
36:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I am sending out invoices, zero, you know, they don't enjoy that at all, so you miss a lot of great opportunities when you continue to operate your business when it's just you.
37:12
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
37:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
37:15
[SPEAKER_00]: So let's see if I if we can put you on a spot.
37:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
37:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
37:19
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's do a what you call a task audit.
37:21
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's yeah, let's let's do a audit of the Black Friday's podcast.
37:25
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
37:26
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's see how I can get my operation better.
37:27
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.
37:28
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.
37:29
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm following you Lee, you're the expert.
37:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, perfect.
37:32
[SPEAKER_02]: So with this task audit.
37:34
[SPEAKER_02]: What you're going to do is for example, let's list.
37:47
[SPEAKER_00]: So my editing process is collecting all of my files from my episodes, audio, video, etc.
37:56
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm putting that into Premiere Pro Adobe Premiere Pro.
38:00
[SPEAKER_00]: And then I'm lining them up to be able to start
38:04
[SPEAKER_00]: And in the episode, then I have a software that helps me do like cuts, but then I have to make sure I go back, listen to the episodes and watch it to make sure it's nothing.
38:14
[SPEAKER_00]: That's weird that needs to be taken out or anything, and I know that that needs to be taken out.
38:19
[SPEAKER_00]: And then I got to finalize the edit, download, upload, to all the streaming platforms, YouTube, etc.
38:28
[SPEAKER_00]: And then, yeah, that is my editing process.
38:33
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm editing probably once a week guarantee unless I get like yeah once a week pretty much okay once a week how long does it take you to do this task
38:44
[SPEAKER_00]: So I actually taught myself, so about 90 minutes.
38:47
[SPEAKER_00]: If it's like, yeah, usually about 90 minutes.
38:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, okay, do you have standard operating procedures for this task?
38:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, do you have this document, what you just described to me, is that document at somewhere?
39:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely not.
39:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, okay.
39:02
[SPEAKER_02]: How much do you enjoy doing this?
39:05
[SPEAKER_00]: I enjoy editing it, but when you have to, when you got tight deadlines, you got all the stuff to worry about, it's not the most fun, so yeah, not zero to ten, what would you write?
39:14
[SPEAKER_00]: Right now, I probably put it at a six.
39:17
[SPEAKER_02]: A six, okay, that's not bad.
39:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Is there any one that you bring into this process to help you?
39:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, and I'm actually looking for interns right now.
39:25
[SPEAKER_02]: So, so that I've got an email.
39:26
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so hopefully, by the time it's up, so comes out, I have some might that be editing it for me.
39:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, being out and there needs to be a standard operating procedure for that.
39:35
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
39:35
[SPEAKER_02]: So, the moment I'm going to use that one example will stop there.
39:38
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
39:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I would look at this, of course, you would have many other tasks, but that being at the top of the list, I would see that and go, okay, this is exactly what it entails.
39:47
[SPEAKER_02]: You do this very often and it takes,
39:51
[SPEAKER_00]: about 90 minutes or 90 minutes or two hours.
39:54
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, yeah.
39:55
[SPEAKER_02]: There's no SOP for that.
39:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Standard operating procedure.
39:58
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
39:58
[SPEAKER_02]: That's one of the first things we want to do.
40:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
40:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Is build out a standard operating procedure for that?
40:03
[SPEAKER_02]: Because especially with you having an intern coming in.
40:06
[SPEAKER_02]: So during that deep dive session that we have together, you want to share that with me.
40:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, say, you know, I have some interns.
40:12
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't want to bring in to help support me with this editing process.
40:15
[SPEAKER_02]: And so instead of you becoming the bottleneck in that process, because you're going to have interns coming
40:21
[SPEAKER_02]: All right, ready to edit, you're going to tell them this is what you do.
40:25
[SPEAKER_02]: This is this and this and guess what?
40:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Because it's in your head every single step makes sense to you.
40:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
40:31
[SPEAKER_02]: When they're coming in as interns, there may be that fine little area where they go, oh, well, where do I find this particular folder?
40:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
40:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, what day was this noted for?
40:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, wait, so how do you want this edited specific?
40:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Those little fine little questions that can hold up the process.
40:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
40:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Now we're going to document that in your SOP.
40:52
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's an example of how you can have those systems so that you're not the bottleneck.
40:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
40:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Number two, I want to see how much of this is your zone of genius.
41:03
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so six is okay, you know, it's not my favorite.
41:07
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, when I'm just happening to the zone of genius, I'm really aiming for that eight to ten window.
41:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, what I'm not trying to be the world's best.
41:19
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll learn the same things out of my own curiosity, but I have no aspirations to be the world's best editor.
41:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, and I commend you because you're saying, hey, I'm bringing some interns in to help support me.
41:30
[SPEAKER_02]: So, all right, we're getting you out of there.
41:33
[SPEAKER_02]: This is the task grad that could say, Dens out, we're getting you out of this task.
41:37
[SPEAKER_02]: The interns are gonna come in and they're going to help with this process.
41:41
[SPEAKER_02]: So, that is one of the first steps that we do is really going through the business
41:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Ooh, what can we do to just pull you, you added those weeds, you know, um, and really getting you to tap into your zone of genius.
41:56
[SPEAKER_02]: And what I say your zone of genius for anyone that is aware of what that is.
42:00
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, really, what is that 8 to 10 for you, you know, and I point to you because where we're sitting right now.
42:08
[SPEAKER_02]: I can bet you money.
42:09
[SPEAKER_02]: This is probably yours on a genius.
42:11
[SPEAKER_02]: I can already tell, you know, as I listen to you and connect with a lot of the people that you sit across from on this podcast.
42:19
[SPEAKER_02]: This is one of this is yours on a genius.
42:22
[SPEAKER_02]: This is one of those places.
42:23
[SPEAKER_02]: You have more than one.
42:25
[SPEAKER_02]: And I feel like this is one of them.
42:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I agree.
42:27
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.
42:27
[SPEAKER_02]: I appreciate that.
42:28
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
42:29
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's the task on.
42:30
[SPEAKER_00]: Perfect.
42:31
[SPEAKER_00]: And then what was the next day?
42:32
[SPEAKER_00]: So the implementation of what we just talked about.
42:35
[SPEAKER_00]: So follow up question for you.
42:37
[SPEAKER_00]: So Stand sticking with the same example, create that SOP.
42:42
[SPEAKER_00]: How do I do that?
42:43
[SPEAKER_00]: What's that look?
42:43
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just me right now.
42:44
[SPEAKER_00]: No napkin.
42:45
[SPEAKER_00]: San what it is that do or hot seat.
42:46
[SPEAKER_02]: And this is why SOPs are so important because it literally answers those following questions like Where do I actually can pull is this?
42:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Do I write it on napkin?
42:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Do I put it in Google?
42:55
[SPEAKER_02]: So as I'm working with clients, of course they do that task audit, something I do want to clarify is prior to us getting to that task audit step in the process.
43:06
[SPEAKER_02]: I have a five systems framework and that five systems framework consist of that discovery, the assessment, then we go in and design.
43:15
[SPEAKER_02]: We build and then we support because I just have you off in the wind and you don't know how to actually use all of what's just been built.
43:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's part of the assessment phase.
43:26
[SPEAKER_02]: During that discovery phase, that's where I really come to learn what you need.
43:31
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
43:31
[SPEAKER_02]: So you would have done a session planner prior to that strategy session.
43:37
[SPEAKER_02]: And during that strategy session, like I said, that's what we're doing that deep dive.
43:41
[SPEAKER_02]: And then I'm saying, hey, these are all the areas of opportunity for Densell.
43:45
[SPEAKER_02]: And as we go through that, there's two paths that I really like to focus on.
43:51
[SPEAKER_02]: Either your client care experience is just so phenomenal.
43:55
[SPEAKER_02]: You don't even really need support there.
43:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Your CRM is just optimized.
44:01
[SPEAKER_02]: You've got all your automation, your workflows built out.
44:04
[SPEAKER_02]: You're good to go on the client care experience side.
44:06
[SPEAKER_02]: So then this is where I would tap into your internal operations that will now support you in your team.
44:14
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's where we would focus more on that project management, slash team management route.
44:19
[SPEAKER_02]: But I can tell you a great majority, especially for solo-per-newers, start with that client care experience.
44:25
[SPEAKER_02]: We start there because of course this is where the money is.
44:28
[SPEAKER_02]: You don't have clients, you don't have money, you can't pay your team.
44:32
[SPEAKER_02]: So this is where we can start.
44:34
[SPEAKER_02]: Let's say we take that CRM route for you, that client relationship management tool route for you.
44:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Really heightening that client care experience for you.
44:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Then of course, that's where we take it, we build it into an action plan, and it tells you how long everything's gonna take, that task got it, we've done that.
44:53
[SPEAKER_02]: And so now, I have all your tasks.
44:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Now I know what does and what doesn't need an SOP, and so as you had to ask, what do we do
45:04
[SPEAKER_02]: What I like to do before we actually dive into the SOP itself is build out a systems law for you.
45:11
[SPEAKER_02]: So your systems law, I give clients the option to store this wherever they want it to be.
45:17
[SPEAKER_02]: But literally every single one of my clients, we've built this in Google Drive.
45:21
[SPEAKER_02]: So I built out a systems bot for them in their Google Drive.
45:24
[SPEAKER_02]: This stores all of their templates, the stores are standard operating procedures, everything that tells anyone that's coming into the business, how to operate within the business.
45:36
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
45:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Then from there, and they all have different categories, I really like to keep it with no more than five individual drives within that system of all.
45:47
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's really nice because everything that's built out, there are hyperlinks.
45:51
[SPEAKER_02]: So everything is connected.
45:54
[SPEAKER_02]: But when it comes to the particular SOP, we built that out, the systems of what itself, and then you know we're going to do, we're going to go back to your workflows.
46:03
[SPEAKER_02]: So the work flows, that's your big picture.
46:06
[SPEAKER_02]: This is actually what gets missed a lot.
46:08
[SPEAKER_02]: A lot of people jump either immediately to SOPs or automation.
46:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Because that's what we constantly hear.
46:14
[SPEAKER_00]: We're here at SOPs, you guys here at SOPs.
46:16
[SPEAKER_00]: There's automation, you guys here at automation.
46:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Please, anyone that's listening, if you're like, oh, I need automation.
46:22
[SPEAKER_02]: Let me just go ahead and start automating things.
46:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to pop in my CRM and just automate these emails, stop, stop.
46:28
[SPEAKER_02]: If you don't have a solid workflow, if you don't understand the big picture yet, do not set up your automations that I would tell you why, because all you're doing is automating chaos.
46:42
[SPEAKER_02]: That's it.
46:43
[SPEAKER_02]: You're going to start to miss some things because you may not even remember what was automated because you don't have processes and workflows saying this is exactly what's automated.
46:53
[SPEAKER_02]: You may have automated emails that go out to people and it's like, I don't know about you, but have you ever like paid for something and then you get an automated email like two days later?
47:04
[SPEAKER_02]: It's youth pages and then you can ignore it.
47:07
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I paid it.
47:09
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't like this email, I paid it.
47:11
[SPEAKER_02]: No, so and that's me just really coming from an operations mindset But when you have those automated emails just going out or any automated tasks that are just going out to your team But you don't have that overall workflow
47:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Then you are, like I said, just automating chaos.
47:28
[SPEAKER_02]: So as I have this task audit, we set up your systems law.
47:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I really start to look at your workflow.
47:35
[SPEAKER_02]: So when it comes to your editing process, I look at that big picture of where does this fall within your workflows?
47:43
[SPEAKER_02]: There are many workflows that can happen within a business.
47:46
[SPEAKER_02]: It could be your lead management.
47:48
[SPEAKER_02]: And we start from the very beginning from, yes, lead management all the way to offboarding.
47:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Then of course, when we're really going in and we're diving into, if you have team members, we need to look at the workflows for them onboarding their off-boarding process.
48:01
[SPEAKER_02]: So you can see why we have two paths of your client care experience.
48:06
[SPEAKER_02]: And then also your team management process as well.
48:12
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what I will look at is those workflows.
48:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Make long story short, I won't go too deep into this.
48:18
[SPEAKER_02]: What a loop thing about here.
48:20
[SPEAKER_02]: But I build out the workflows and then from there.
48:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
48:23
[SPEAKER_02]: That's where we start to take the automations and then also the SOPs.
48:28
[SPEAKER_02]: But the automations is one of the last steps.
48:30
[SPEAKER_00]: Gotcha.
48:30
[SPEAKER_02]: There's one of these last steps because that's where we can look.
48:34
[SPEAKER_02]: You want your workflows to literally boom.
48:36
[SPEAKER_02]: This is the big picture.
48:38
[SPEAKER_02]: I can literally see, okay, we have a lead.
48:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Here is exactly how the lead is going to reach out to you.
48:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe there's an inquiry form on your website.
48:46
[SPEAKER_02]: There's an automated email that goes out to them.
48:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Part me, there's an automated email that goes out to them.
48:51
[SPEAKER_02]: And then there's a nurture sequence.
48:53
[SPEAKER_02]: They don't follow up with like two emails.
48:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, those things.
48:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Then we incorporate that into the SOP so you can see with that task audit when I'm going through each one And I'm saying where do some of these it's like a puzzle piece.
49:06
[SPEAKER_02]: Where do these connect with one another?
49:08
[SPEAKER_02]: You know where are some tasks?
49:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Do you have some tasks that can literally be built into one SOP is a part of one workflow?
49:15
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, that's what we do like that automation is the last one for sure
49:19
[SPEAKER_02]: That's the deepest I'm going to go out like I said, I know if this isn't your jam, sometimes it's like, okay, what are we talking about?
49:26
[SPEAKER_02]: So, um, but that's the overall, yes, that's.
49:29
[SPEAKER_00]: And obviously you're able to be able to customize that depending on who the person is, what their business needs are, et cetera.
49:36
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
49:37
[SPEAKER_00]: and I'm curious, speaking of that, what people have to do in order to get right so that that can work with you because I'm assuming you're not taking any in everybody or maybe you are, I don't know, I want to make assumptions for you, but how, what type of customers are you looking to work with, are there certain businesses, certain industries, or criteria?
49:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
49:59
[SPEAKER_02]: That is a great point.
50:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much for pointing that out.
50:02
[SPEAKER_02]: Want to go back to the customization portion.
50:04
[SPEAKER_02]: I just want to touch on that for a moment.
50:06
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
50:07
[SPEAKER_02]: A lot of, there's a lot of businesses out there and I've seen it where you receive templates, you're getting training on setting this up yourself.
50:15
[SPEAKER_02]: That's great.
50:15
[SPEAKER_02]: That's awesome.
50:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Especially if it's budget friendly for you.
50:19
[SPEAKER_02]: I'd really like to come with a customization approach because there is no single business that I've worked with thus far that is like the other, all of them are different, every single one of them.
50:29
[SPEAKER_02]: So the customization piece is so important to me because I've seen how it truly transforms my clients business.
50:38
[SPEAKER_02]: When it comes to...
50:41
[SPEAKER_02]: the, um, going back to the point that we made criteria.
50:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, uh, the criteria as far as who I work with, I do primarily work with service based businesses.
50:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
50:53
[SPEAKER_02]: And for anyone, because I have had some people ask me, what does that mean?
50:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, that's a business where you are literally taking your, zone of genius, uh, you know, your level of expertise, your time,
51:07
[SPEAKER_02]: and you are literally handing that over to the client as the product itself versus a physical product that is off the shelf and you sell that.
51:15
[SPEAKER_02]: I have worked with businesses that are in the e-commerce space I enjoyed it but I enjoyed there is something about service-based businesses that I enjoyed the most.
51:25
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think it is truly because of that one-on-one experience that you have with clients, it's just, I didn't say what I think of a client-care experience.
51:38
[SPEAKER_02]: I really think of it as like bringing someone into your home.
51:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Could you imagine?
51:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, let's paint this picture.
51:46
[SPEAKER_02]: You're coming to our house for the first time.
51:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, say, good to see you.
51:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, hey, Dan, say, I'll come on in.
51:52
[SPEAKER_02]: And you go to like, look down, tie your shoes, and I'm gone.
51:55
[SPEAKER_02]: All right, say, sure.
51:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Hello.
51:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Do you want me to come, do you want me to keep my shoes on?
52:02
[SPEAKER_02]: Where'd you go, do you want me to come to the kitchen?
52:03
[SPEAKER_02]: Hello, hello.
52:05
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, you're looking around and then you realize, oh, wait.
52:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Let me go back and help him.
52:12
[SPEAKER_02]: That's what I'd like to think of it as you are welcoming someone into your home.
52:17
[SPEAKER_02]: You want to be able to say, hey, Denzel, come on in.
52:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Take a shoes off, come on into the kitchen.
52:22
[SPEAKER_02]: I got some drink for you, something to eat.
52:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, go ahead and have a seat.
52:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I am walking you through what it feels like to be welcomed into this space.
52:32
[SPEAKER_02]: There are some businesses where I'm sure you can think of at least one because I know I can't write off the background now.
52:38
[SPEAKER_02]: There's actually one that we recently worked with and they did some service for us, both my husband and I and you know they did an awesome job but we had to keep following up with them.
52:48
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
52:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Why am I following up with you to tell me the status of what I am working on with you, you know, and I, I just, I share that specific example because they did a great job with providing the service, but the experience is what made me looking out, I don't think I'm going to refer anyone to them.
53:12
[SPEAKER_00]: It's like that food spot that you love, the food is fire, but because I got away to hour and 45 minutes, this might be my first day last time here.
53:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, and we all know places like that.
53:22
[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
53:23
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's just like sometimes the food is just so good.
53:26
[SPEAKER_02]: You keep coming back, but at the same time, would you refer someone, a lot of times I even think of if someone came from out of town, would I refer to them there?
53:33
[SPEAKER_02]: No.
53:34
[SPEAKER_02]: say we'll go, do you know how long I was waiting?
53:37
[SPEAKER_02]: We can do it all these other things.
53:39
[SPEAKER_02]: And so, you know, it's time that is wasted.
53:42
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, when I really think of people's time, time is so precious and when people come to you, they are coming to your door.
53:52
[SPEAKER_02]: to work with you.
53:54
[SPEAKER_02]: There are so many options out here.
53:56
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we, you can just Google.
53:58
[SPEAKER_02]: And you could find people to work with.
54:01
[SPEAKER_02]: So when someone comes to your doorstep, you want to ensure that they have the most seamless, the most high quality experience when they're working with you, because you also want them to be able to say, hey, I work with someone, so.
54:14
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think it'll be a great experience for you.
54:17
[SPEAKER_02]: But like I said, with that one example,
54:22
[SPEAKER_02]: We had to actually call them for them.
54:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yep, it's done.
54:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Yep, it's all done.
54:25
[SPEAKER_02]: It's good to go.
54:26
[SPEAKER_02]: OK.
54:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Thanks a lot, no matter what you do.
54:29
[SPEAKER_02]: So yes, yep.
54:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Service-based businesses, I know I came full of circle with that.
54:35
[SPEAKER_02]: But service-based businesses, I do advise any business that I'm working with.
54:40
[SPEAKER_02]: There have been some people that are in the stage of figuring their business out.
54:46
[SPEAKER_02]: This is where I would do a strategy session with them.
54:48
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just truly like, you know what?
54:50
[SPEAKER_02]: I've started the business.
54:51
[SPEAKER_02]: I've operated the business for like a year.
54:53
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm really not sure where to go next.
54:56
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm definitely everyone goes through a strategy session first, because a lot of times what you think you may need in your business at the time is different from what you actually need.
55:06
[SPEAKER_02]: But I share that because
55:09
[SPEAKER_02]: I, a lot of times when people are really figuring things out, that's where we stop at the strategy session.
55:14
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't want them to go deep into a implementation where they haven't experienced a level of consistent success within the business.
55:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I want any client where we're going to that implementation phase.
55:27
[SPEAKER_02]: I want them to be able to say, this is where I can see their summary of opportunities.
55:32
[SPEAKER_02]: This is where I've been successful within the business.
55:35
[SPEAKER_02]: And now I'm ready to take it to the next level.
55:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm in that growth stage, and I need support with taking it to the next level.
55:41
[SPEAKER_00]: Love it, love it.
55:43
[SPEAKER_00]: So, Seisha, what's in your crystal ball?
55:46
[SPEAKER_00]: What's on her rather than for you?
55:47
[SPEAKER_00]: What's on her rather than for SCI management?
55:49
[SPEAKER_00]: Anything that you would be able to share with us about the future?
55:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, one, on my way home, I'm going to listen to something other than Coco Malina.
56:00
[SPEAKER_02]: But Crystal Ball, just really being intentional.
56:04
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, there's two sides of, yes, it's being a business owner, but always, always, always, I am a mommy first.
56:13
[SPEAKER_02]: So, when it comes to family, just ensuring that I am present for my family, that's the Crystal Ball.
56:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Just really making sure that I continue to grow this business in a way so that I have that flexibility and a room to continue to be present with them.
56:30
[SPEAKER_02]: And when it comes to the business to expand the reach that I would love to have with a lot of businesses as I had shared with you in the beginning, working in that retainer scope.
56:49
[SPEAKER_02]: And you know why?
56:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Because I had my first two clients, they were literally from Tulsa.
56:54
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm in the online space.
56:55
[SPEAKER_02]: So I just connect with people online and I did a great job.
57:01
[SPEAKER_02]: And I say, hey, I got someone I want to refer to.
57:03
[SPEAKER_02]: And then it just kept trinkling.
57:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
57:04
[SPEAKER_02]: So it's been very much so referral based, which has been awesome.
57:09
[SPEAKER_02]: However, in that time, I've worked with
57:12
[SPEAKER_02]: I am so retainer.
57:13
[SPEAKER_02]: And so now I'm looking for it to opening this space to really even working with clients in that implementation phase and saying, hey, now we can even take it a step further in that implementation phase.
57:23
[SPEAKER_02]: You need to continue to support, let me help you bring those people in.
57:27
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
57:27
[SPEAKER_01]: And I guess what you can fly.
57:30
[SPEAKER_02]: you know we go from there but that's what I'm really looking forward to just seeing the growth that you know will continue with people even here in Michigan throughout Metro Detroit, you know just yeah.
57:44
[SPEAKER_02]: just connecting with so many other business owners and learning, growing, just next to so many other amazing business owners, someone recently was talking to me and they're like, I was at any bit and they're like, oh, you know, as you're at this event, seems like you really have things figured out for your business and you don't really need anything.
58:04
[SPEAKER_02]: And I just thought to myself, I don't think that's ever true as a business owner, you know, it's, you always need something, whether that's knowledge, whether that's finances, whether you need connect, you always are going to be needing something.
58:18
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just a part of growth.
58:19
[SPEAKER_02]: And so that is something that I live for too.
58:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Over the next few years, it's just networking with more people connecting with people, really being part of a community of learners.
58:31
[SPEAKER_02]: That's what I'm looking
58:33
[SPEAKER_00]: very dope.
58:35
[SPEAKER_00]: And so for the folks who are looking to be able to tap in which you possibly do that task audit and understand how they might be able to work with you or follow your journey, work and they find you working with people in touch with you.
58:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Uh, so you can find me on Instagram under SEI management, and then I'm also on LinkedIn, Sassha is Hague Asman, and yeah, the website is SEI Management as well.
58:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, yeah, that is where I'm at, and when you go on there, you may even see, I'm not always on there.
59:06
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, but I will check it often.
59:08
[SPEAKER_02]: I am just so deep into the operational hospitality of my clients, my business, like, it's
59:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
59:17
[SPEAKER_02]: You are a marketing genius.
59:20
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what I brought people in to support me there.
59:23
[SPEAKER_02]: But those are my my spaces where you can connect with me.
59:26
[SPEAKER_01]: For sure.
59:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
59:27
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, say, it was great to have you on a platform today.
59:30
[SPEAKER_00]: And like I said, we got a chance to or like we talked about a chance to meet earlier this year.
59:35
[SPEAKER_00]: And then sitting here learning more about your business.
59:37
[SPEAKER_00]: And so.
59:38
[SPEAKER_00]: your expertise in this space in terms of operations.
59:41
[SPEAKER_00]: Definitely, it's been helpful.
59:42
[SPEAKER_00]: Appreciate the mini consultation as well.
59:44
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to take that into account, especially as I get ready to onboard these interns, because it's going to be a game changer for me.
59:52
[SPEAKER_00]: So, and it started to think about how to scale.
59:54
[SPEAKER_00]: So, we appreciate you coming by the podcast today.
59:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, and thank you so much for having me, didn't's out.
59:59
[SPEAKER_02]: And I wish you many more years of success.
1:00:02
[SPEAKER_02]: This podcast has been awesome.
1:00:04
[SPEAKER_00]: appreciate you.
1:00:04
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.
1:00:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.
1:00:06
[SPEAKER_00]: And everybody watching, listen, we're going to tap a little jar of song.
1:00:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Peace.